Patent · US Expired

Image neurography and diffusion anisotropy imaging

US5560360A · kind A · utility

326Cited by
10References
66Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 8, 1993
Grant dateOct 1, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 8, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R33/56341
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A neurography system (10) is disclosed for generating diagnostically useful images of neural tissue (i.e., neurograms) employing a modified magnetic resonance imaging system (14). In one embodiment, the neurography system selectively images neural tissue by employing one or more gradients to discriminate diffusion anisotropy in the tissue and further enhances the image by suppressing the contribution of fat to the image. The neurography system is part of a broader medical system (12), which may include an auxiliary data collection system (22), diagnostic system (24), therapeutic system (26), surgical system (28), and training system (30). These various systems are all constructed to take advantage of the information provided by the neurography system regarding neural networks, which information was heretofore unavailable.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.